When my kids were young (well, they're still pretty young, but, you know...) When my kids were growing up, I always encouraged them to put God first in their lives. When He's first, life is good--even when it's a tornado. So, to illustrate my meaning, I always told them, "Just remember, your goal in life is to irritate the devil." (because, don't kids love to irritate people? :) )

They would say, "Irritate the devil?"

"Yes," I would tell them. And then, of course, I would elaborate.

You see, Satan would like nothing more than to see Christians lose sight of Christ, and for non-Christians never to find Him; so when we stay close to Christ, it irritates the devil. When we evangelize--whether in word or deed--and people are uplifted and see a glimpse of Christ through our actions, it irritates the devil. (It irritates him even more when they fully convert because of it. ;) ) Every moment someone spends thinking about Christ, helping another in His Name, rather than thinking on worldly things or doing something selfish...that's right; it irritates the devil.

I woke up this morning thinking about this, and then I logged onto the email and read some emails about a prayer chain our White Rose readers' loop began. Not only was I touched by the faith and fellowship it took to begin this prayer, not to mention the prayers I found there for me and White Rose Publishing, the timing of it all brought a smile to my lips, because, my goal with White Rose is to irritate the devil--a lot! :) (And, it's going to take a lot of prayer because, when the devil gets irritated, he tends to go to battle. Ah, c'est la vie.)

We have a very special group of authors, editors and readers, and I am blessed just to be associated with them. Together we are going to entertain readers with quality stories and a great-looking product, and we are also going to show Christ through our written words. Our characters are going to be three-dimensional people to whom readers can relate, and how our characters overcome their struggles is going to drive home the need for people to know Christ, to love Him, and to understand that mountains become hills, and hills become speed-bumps, for those who trust in Him. All that, and we're not going to be preachy or didactic.

Sound like a big job? How are we going accomplish this, perhaps seemingly unsurmountable job? Well, I have some ideas, but I don't have all the answers...but guess what? I know Someone who does...and that's a little irritating to (shh! someone else who's been mentioned enough in this post already. ;) )

8 comments:

Irritating the devil. Nicola, I laughed aloud, and have to say, I just love the idea! After all - everyone needs a hobby, right?? ;-)

It's so true, though - the closer we come to Christ, the more irritating, and embroiling, becomes the devil. But the worst thing we all face right now, IMVHO, isn't outward crisis - it's inward apathy. That deceptive "Who *really* needs God" mentality. Thanks to you and WRP for being part of God's welcoming place. Blessings!!

I agree with you totally on the inward apathy. We have defintely been affected by the "self-help" mentality. Not that there's anything wrong with learning how to cope and embolden oneself (that's something we all need), but when taken to the extreme, we tend to forget that "self" can't help everything. Sometimes, we need "Him-help." To forget that tends only to bring more stress upon us. There's a true comfort in knowing we don't have to "do it all." There's an ample shoulder to lean on if we just take a knee.

What a lovely blog, Nicola. And oh yes, he will go on the attack but we all know "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." This is unfortunately his stomping ground, but my prayer for you and White Rose is that these stories can touch the hearts and souls of those who read them and give them a greater understanding or a closer walk as needed.